Building Study: Tintagel Bridge, Cornwall, by William Matthews Associates

David Levene 2. EMBARGOED UNTIL 00.01 THURSDAY 8 AUGUST 2019

The two halves of the severed castle have been reconnected by thrusting cantilevers that don’t quite meet. Ike Ijeh asks if Merlin was involved

If there’s anywhere in England where legend meets reality it’s Tintagel. The ruined Cornish castle is said to be the birthplace of King Arthur and today hosts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world all seeking to partake of their own little piece of Arthurian legend. The castle’s spectacular setting certainly helps enshrine its mythical status. Perched solemnly high on a cliff-edge on what appears to be an island, what’s left of the castle is surrounded by the dramatic rocks and haunting Atlantic mists of the North Cornwall coastline, easily summoning the spirit of mystic romanticism that has helped sustain the legend of Camelot, Merlin, Arthur, his knights and their round table for possibly over a thousand years.

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